Wednesday, June 24, 2015

A (brief) message to those running Western States

“Life had been reduced from a highly complex existence, with a thousand petty problems, to one of the barest simplicity in which only one real task remained – the achievement of the goal.”

That is an excerpt from the 1959 novel, Endurance, a book I highly encourage everyone to read. As soon as I read that line, my mind immediately drifted to the feelings I have at the start of a race. I felt it eloquently described a runner’s mindset as they toe the line. The hard work is over. The long months of training are behind them. Race day is finally here! As soon as that gun goes off, the daily scattering of thoughts and worries evaporate and they are left with only one focus, achieving their goal.